Burden in My Hand
by TessTaylor
Summary: Severus is trying to stay in hiding. But, Snape makes a plan and Hermione laughs. A/N:sorry if this takes forever for me to update. Still learning how to add chappies *hides in shame v.v*
1. Chapter 1

Burden in My Hand

The bar was uncharacteristically quiet for a Monday evening. The stools and tables were cold from the lack of warm, less-than-sober bodies usually filling them. Chairs were even upturned on the back tables in closing-time fashion. In all, about five people inhabited the pub. None of the five had come in with another of the group; all strangers. The barkeep surveyed his all but empty room and shook his head. He wiped down the bar for the third time to keep himself busy. Suddenly, without any warning, the door to the pub swung open. In a flurry of wind and light snow, a man dressed entirely in black slinked in. The door closed behind him as he moved silently across the floor up to the bar. He grumbled his drink order and moved to a back booth. A sigh escaped his lips as he ran a hand through his hair. It had been a while since he'd been in a muggle pub but, now he had no other alternative. Both sides of the wizarding world were after him now. Any remaining Death Eaters wanted him dead for the treason against their Dark Lord, and the others wanted him locked away for good for the death of their beloved Dumbledore. The only option he was left with was to disappear into the muggle world. Some days the tedium of everyday life as a "muggle" was enough to drive him mad and think that maybe Azkaban wasn't _really _that bad. Of course, six years without the use of magic for someone who had been using it for as long as he had...well, one can understand his frustration. But this constant running! He could never stay in one place for too long. Some Death Eaters were still out there, searching for the traitor. This was so unlike him. He didn't need this. Why didn't he just fight the others? Why not search for _them?_ Severus sighed again. No more thoughts, not just now. His drinks arrived, and he downed the first vodka in one gulp. _Coward_, he thought as the liquid burned its way down. He slammed the glass on the table, making more noise than he'd anticipated. The noise was soon forgotten as the door to the bar opened once more; a woman this time. Severus looked up absentmindedly. Her hair was a very messy bun, probably a result of the wind. There was _something_ about the untidiness...why did he know that hair? The woman walked over to the barkeep and began talking with him. She was describing something. She held her hands to her shoulders "So long? About this tall..." and she put her hand in the air. Something in Severus' mind clicked. _The hair, the hand in the air...Oh, my god..._he thought. He slid over in his booth to remove the woman from his line of vision, and hopefully out of her view. Horror rippled through him as he saw the barkeep point _right at him._ It wouldn't be long, now. He visualized his escape route but saw that he'd have to walk right past this woman. _God, why _her_? Why, why, why?_

"Um, excuse me?"

Severus lifted his head from his hands to confirm his fears. The woman was standing at his table, watching him expectantly. Severus blinked and cleared his throat.

"Yes?" He asked, hoping his face held no knowledge of knowing who this woman was. The woman faintly smiled at his reply but replaced it quickly with a business like poker face.

"Forgive my intrusion, but you look very familiar to me. I was wondering if you might help me?" Her eyes were hopeful. Severus thought hard. _Just say no, Sev. It'll be much easier this way. You should say no. Be firm in your decision. NO. _He blinked out of his thoughts, and looked back up at the woman he swore he knew. Her face looked tired, but the glint in her eyes removed all weariness. They were mesmerizing. Severus considered for a moment, and then gestured to the seat opposite him. "Please, sit." He offered, mentally punching himself. The woman allowed a grin in this ever awkward situation, and took a seat. She rummaged around in her overly large purse. Severus lifted an eyebrow, curiously watching what she was doing. Her purse was stuffed with papers and files and binders, making the simple task of zipping it closed seem an Olympic event. _Good lord. Still the avid worker, I see, _Severus thought. He watched the woman pull out a rather thick file marked M.I.A. and froze. Where had she come from? Who had sent her? Why in the _world_ would the Ministry send _her_? Severus rubbed his temples as the woman opened the file and closed it very quickly. He barely saw her grab a photograph in the process. She flipped it over so that he couldn't see what had been captured on film, but he had a pretty good idea. She cleared her throat and finally spoke again.  
"Sir, whether you remember me or not, my name is Hermione Granger."

Severus blinked. He knew. He'd never had to run someone off his trail before; usually it was the other way around. This was new. He shook his head. _You've lied for years, this should be easy._ He thought. He furrowed his eyebrows.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. The name eludes me." He said calmly with a touch of confusion. Hermione didn't look all too surprised. She just picked up the photograph, and sighed as she gazed at it. A moment passed before she spoke.

"Sir, I would rather not play games. Not here. Come over to my place and we can talk there."

Severus was thrown. His lie should have thrown her off immediately. Maybe he was losing his touch...no. That was not it.

"I really don't know if that is a good idea, Miss...Granger, is it? You see I've ordered a hefty lot of beverages, and I would hate to see them go to waste." He said. Hermione grinned.

"Don't worry, sir. I've got something even better than vodka. I'll pay for your drinks." She got up and walked over to the bartender. She lay down the money, and waved him over as she moved toward the door with a friendly smile on her face. Severus was torn. He was awfully curious as to what the girl had in his file, and how the _hell _she found him. At the same time however, he didn't want to be discovered. He knew the consequences, and he'd really rather stay in hiding. So, his options now were to either go with the girl, or to skip town right now. _Damnation! _He shouted in his head. He stood and walked toward the girl and said, "Where do you live?" Hermione smiled.

"Follow me" She said.

Outside, it was no longer snowing, just cold. The walk to her home wasn't far; she lived in a small house about four streets down from the pub. Her living room was lined in bookshelves reaching the ceiling. They were all full except for one which was dangerously close to becoming so. Snape had almost smiled at how much he'd expected that. Hermione led him through saloon style doors into her dining/kitchen area and offered a seat. She sat down across from him and started spreading out the papers from the file she kept in her purse. She picked out the important ones, stacked them in an orderly fashion, and began her explanation.

"I've been looking for you for almost six years. The only help I've had is from strangers' accounts of allegedly seeing you. I almost gave up two years ago until an anonymous someone sent me this photo."

She slid the picture over to him with her index finger. Severus gave it a once-over and closed his eyes. The photograph displayed Severus Snape, in the flesh, leaving the last muggle bar he'd been to. Immediately, he was furious. He had been so careful! How could he have let this happen? Whoever took this photo was most definitely going to rue the day of his or her birth. But soon, the anger ebbed, and fear took over. Alright, so he was caught. Now what? What would this young woman do now? Would she hand him over and collect her reward for being a good little know-it-all, as usual? Severus put his elbows on the table and rubbed his temples, glaring at the picture.

"Alright," he finally said, leaning back in the chair and crossing his arms.

"What do we do now, Miss Granger?"

Hermione's face lit up. A smile broke out on her face, and her professional demeanor fell.

"Oh, professor, I _knew_ it was you! Everyone has been so confused. You've fooled us all right under our noses and here you are--" He cut her off.

"I'm sorry, what? Why aren't you apparating us to Azkaban this very instant? People should be angry, not glad to see me as you are. You say everyone is so confused, well, Miss Granger I can tell you I feel their pain." Snape was staring at her still smiling face, completely befuddled.

"Professor Snape, you haven't the slightest clue why I'm here, do you?" Hermione said. Grin still plastered on her face. Snape's jaw dropped a fraction of an inch and went from zero to sarcastic in two seconds flat.  
"Why, of course I know why you're here. Why on earth would I let on to any confusion what so ever?" Enter eye-roll.

"Really, Miss Granger, for a know-it-all, you certainly have let your keen sense of observation go."


	2. Chapter 2

"Professor Snape, you haven't the slightest clue why I'm here, do you?" Hermione said. Grin still plastered on her face. Snape's jaw dropped a fraction of an inch and went from zero to sarcastic in two seconds flat.

"Why, of course I know why you're here. Why on earth would I let on to any confusion what so ever?" Enter eye-roll.  
"Really, Miss Granger, for a know-it-all, you certainly have let your keen sense of observation go."

Hermione snorted.

"Whereas you haven't changed a bit."

Snape smirked. Good, he thought. I've still got it.

"The reason I'm here, professor, is to tell you some very, very good news." Hermione explained, half exasperated, half excited. Snape stared at her; she was positively bursting to tell him everything. He raised his eyebrows in anticipation.

"Do continue, Miss Granger. If you think you can."

Her smile got wider and she took a deep breath.

"I have come to declare you a free man." She said slowly to add effect. Severus stared at her, not breathing, taking in this news. What the hell? How the hell? He opened his mouth to speak twice before actually finding the words in his mouth.

"I...I'm sorry, I don't quite...understand?" Hermione paused. This was very unlike the Snape she knew. She was expecting more sarcasm and bite, but speechlessness? Hermione's head tilted to one side, evaluating her guest's reaction.

"You're free. No longer do they reserve a cell for you in Azkaban. Your name has been completely cleared." Her brow furrowed. This wasn't going as well as she'd hoped. A crease appeared in Severus' forehead.

"How long?" He asked quietly.

Hermione's face study continued.

"Four years, sir."

Four years, Severus repeated in his head. He couldn't believe it. The past four years of his life could have been used toward rebuilding his life in his world. The four years he wasted running amongst muggles. Wasted. Snape stared at his hands on the table.

Across from him, Hermione didn't know what to do or say. She realized what he was thinking and why. Four years running from nothing, for nothing will put you out like that.

"Professor, I offered you a drink. A good drink. How 'bout it, huh?" She asked gently.

Snape barely looked at her before nodding in agreement. She got up from the table and walked over to her refrigerator. She pulled out a tall brown bottle labeled "Firewhiskey" and set it on the counter to retrieve her "Texas sized" shot glasses from the cabinet. When she came back to the table with her acquisitions, Severus wasn't there. He had moved to the kitchen window and was staring out at the city.

"I suppose it is my own fault, you know." He said quietly, not looking at her.

"I should have just laid there dying for someone to find me. Two years in a cell sounds like sweet release compared to the six of cowardice."

Hermione reached out to touch his arm, but reconsidered. A moment passed before she spoke.

"You did what you thought was necessary at the time." She said. Severus sniffed.  
"Sure, that's an easy way to put it. I'm the great coward of the wizarding world; a bat hiding in various caves trying to escape his past, and avoiding his future." He shook his head and turned away from the window.

"Let's have that drink, shall we?"

Hermione nodded and followed him silently back to the table.


	3. Chapter 3

Four drinks later, Snape was slumped back in his chair.

"Well, Granger, now that you've got me, what do you plan to do with me?" he asked, words stumbling out of his mouth. Hermione, who was much more sober than Snape, grinned. She was watching him as he traced the rim of his glass with a fiercely intense expression on his face. She giggled but covered it by clearing her throat.

"Well, professor--" She began, but Severus interrupted her.

"For god's sake, Granger, I'm not a professor, I'm not a sir; I am just Severus. My name is Severus." He said, still tracing the glass. Hermione nodded.

"Alright. Severus then." She smiled at him.  
"I was hoping that you would like to come back to the wizarding world."

Severus stopped his tracing, but said nothing.

"With me." She continued.

Snape took the glass in hand and looked up at Hermione's face.

"Tell me, Miss Granger, because this is thoroughly befuddling to me, why you think I would be at all accepted back into that world."

Hermione was expecting this. She flipped opened her file and pulled out some clippings taken from the Daily Prophet. One headline read "Missing: One War-time Hero". Another, "Clearing The Air: Dumbledore Death Explained!" Severus didn't even bother with the other articles. He stacked and slid them back over to Hermione who was watching him anxiously. His head was swimming with thoughts, questions he needed to know the answers to. There were so many! He couldn't possibly focus on one...

"Professor Snape...Severus" She corrected.

He looked at her, slightly startled by her voice.

"I want to apologize for not being diligent enough to find you four years ago. If you're going to blame anyone, please blame me. I was the one chosen to find you, and I didn't pull through for my colleagues or for you. I am truly sorry." She told him.

The guilt she felt had overridden her joy of finding Snape. This small triumph was beaten down by the fact that she hadn't found him soon enough. She was surprised when he waved his hand in the air and tsked her.

"Don't go placing blame. If it's anyone's fault, it's mine. I am just too damn good a hider." He said poking himself in the chest, nodding. Hermione sighed. Yes, he was drunk, but he was partially right. He hadn't exactly been the easiest person to track down. He was the reason behind the many headaches she had suffered throughout these years.

"What we need to do now," he continued; so suddenly that it made Hermione jump.

"Is figure out just what the hell I am going to do." Snape looked at the wallpaper border of the kitchen and his eyebrows knotted together.

"Why are those pears dancing? Better yet, why weren't the grapes invited?"

Hermione stifled her laughter.

"C'mon, Severus, let's get you to the couch so you can sleep on those deep, philosophical questions." She said with a smile.

"Are you mocking me, Granger? I wont have it, I tell you." He informed her as she stood him up.  
"Of course not, merely a suggestion." She held his arm as she directed him to her couch. Severus flumped down on the cushions and slipped side ways, putting his head at a very awkward angle. Before Hermione could say anything, he was already snoring. She giggled to herself and pulled the shoes off his feet. She steered them onto the other half of the couch and covered him with a quilt. She looked at the clock on the wall: 1:43AM. Hermione gave Severus one last look before she disappeared into her own room and closed the door.

A.N.: Yes, yes I know it's short...but I have this other story in my head as well and it is making any progress in this story quite difficult. Thanks to GinnyFan5 for the article Headline XD


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